Pneumatic dispatch system



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4419" MM flay,

W. J. TAYLOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEM Filed March 8, 1932 Nov. 5, 1935.

Millzkzrra NOV. 5, 1935. w TAYLOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEM Filed March8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 6 Claims. (Cl. 243-16) This invention relates to an improvementin a pneumatic dispatch system, and more particularly to a systemcomprising a main line and a plurality of branch lines, to the means bywhich 5 each of the carriers in the system is selectively switched fromthe main line to a destined branch line, and to the type of carriersemployed therein.

In accordance with this invention the switching in the system iscontrolled by the carrier 10 itself in contradistinction to the systemsin which the switch is thrown by an operator at the sending station.Moreover, the switching is performed by stationary guides instead of bymovable guides or switch arms as in the operator 15 controlled systems.It will be understood that in this system the carriers travel first overthe main line and are then switched to the destined branch .lines, overwhich they continue their travels, and which may or may not lead tooutlet terminals.

One object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic dispatch systemhaving a main line and a plurality of branch lines to which carriers inthe main line are selectively deflected by 25 means of stationary guidesin the main. line, each guide being associated with a .branchline andadapted to be engaged by only those carriers destined for the branchline associated with the guide. A further object of this invention is toprovide in a system of the class mentioned pneumatic carriers, the headsof which are provided with notches suitably spaced so that the heads ofthe carriers intended for a certain branch line will engage the guideassociated with such branch line and will not engage any other guides inthe system.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings which form a partthereof and 40 in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a systemembodying this invention and consisting of two main lines, each having apluralityof outlet terminals fed'by branch lines and to which carriers45 from a central station may be selectively dispatched;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of an inlet terminal at the centralstation;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of an intermediate out- 50 let terminalillustrating the branch line and the fixed guide by which carriersdispatched to such terminal are deflected thereto from the main line; i

Fig, 4 is a, view similar to Fig. 3 of the last 55 terminal in the line;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View of the inlet terminal at the centralstation, the cover of such terminal having been removed and a carrierbeing shown in position for dispatching;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan View taken along the 5 line 66 of Fig. 3,illustrating a carrier being deflected by a fixed guide from the mainline to the branch line which leads to'an outlet terminal;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a carrier embody- 10 ing this invention;and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of aloop system embodying this invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, this invention may be employed in a pneumaticdispatch system comprising two main lines A and B leading from a centralstation C and square in cross section. Each line comprises a dispatchingterminal III at the central station, an outlet terminal II at the end ofthe line, and a plurality of interme- 29 diate outlet terminals I2, I3,I4 and I5. Associated with each of the outlet terminals is an inletterminal I6, each pair constituting the terminals of a particularstation. 'Outlet terminals H are provided at the central station. Theinlet terminal Ill and the outlet terminals .II, I2, I3,

I4 and I5 are arranged along a tube I8, while the inlet terminals I6 andthe outlet terminal I! are arranged along a return tube I9.

In accordance with this invention carriers may 30 be dispatched from thecentral station 0 along either tube I8 to the desired outlet terminalit, I2, I3, I4 or I5, and carriers may be sent back from any of theinlet terminals I6 to the outlet terminal H at the central desk over thereturn tube I9. The tubes I8 and I9 are joined at one end and a flow oftransmitting air is set up therein in the usual way as, for example, bya blower D, shown in Fig. 1. Systems of this general type are old andwell known, and the novelty in the present invention resides in themanner in which the destination of the carriers dispatched from thecentral desk is controlled.

Each outlet terminal on the tube I8, as shown in section in Figs. 4 and3, comprises a branch tube 20 leading from the main tube 18 and normallyclosed in the illustrated embodiment by a valve'2l which may be of anydesired construction. In the present instance the valve M is pivotallymounted upon a pin 22 and normally held'closed by the action of a spring23. Projecting into the branch tube 20 from the rear face of the valve2| is a projection 24 which is engaged by the head of the carrierintended for such stationiso that the valve is opened by the impact ofthe carrier against the action of the spring. The outlet terminal I I,shown in Fig. 4, is at the end of the main tube I8 and hence any carriernot previously switched from the main line will be delivered at thisterminal. Accordingly there is provided a curved strap 25 which extendsacross the main tube I8 and by which the approaching carriers aredeflected into the branch tube 20. The strap 25 may be of any desiredform, it being understood, however, that it should be perforated so thatit will not interfere in any way with the normal travel of the airthrough the line. Each of the intermediate outlet terminals I2, I3, I4and I5 comprises in addition to the valve 2| and its associated parts aguide strip 21 secured to one side of the main tube and extending intothe branch tube 20. As shown in Fig. 1, the outlet terminals I2 and I4are on the opposite side of the main tube I8 from the terminals I3 andI5. The strips 21 at the various outlet terminals are differentlylocated, for example, those associated with the terminals I2 and I4 maybe mounted on opposite walls of the tube I8 and lead in the samedirection, while those associated with the terminals I3 and I5 may besimilarly mounted on the opposite walls of the tube but lead in adirection opposite to that of the strips associated with the terminalsE2 and I4.

One type of carrier adapted to be used in this system is illustrated inFig. '7 and comprises a body portion 30 with heads 3I at the endsthereof. The heads and body portion are both rectangular in crosssection and the heads project beyond the body portion at all sides, asindicated by dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6. The destinations of thecarriers are determined by notches in the sides of the carrier heads,which notches engage the guide strips 21 and hence are spaced tocorrespond to the locations of the guide strips at the various outletterminals.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the heads 3I of the carrier there shown are providedwith a notch 32 in one side thereof, such notch being formed by acentral projecting portion 33 and a corner projection 34. As indicatedin dotted lines, the projections corresponding to the projections 34 atthe other corners are cut away. Obviously instead of having the notch 32at the upper lefthand portion, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the carriermight have a notch 35 at the upper righthand portion, a notch 36 at thelower left-hand portion, a notch 31 at the lower right-hand portion, orhave no notch at all. In accordance with the description above given,carriers having the notch 32 are switched off at terminal I2, thosehaving the notch 35 at terminal I3, those having the notch 36 atterminal I4, those having the notch 31 at terminal I5, and those havingno notches travel to the end outlet terminal II. The side of the carrierhead at the left in Figs. 5 and 6 preferably is uninterrupted while theside at the right has a single notch 38 therein. In place of the notch38 shown in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, it is obvious that the notch 39shown in dotted lines in these figures might be provided. The purpose ofthe notches 38 or 39 is to designate the particular line in which thecarrier is to be used.

The dispatch inlet I at the central station, illustrated in Fig. 2, isnormally closed by a valve 40 hinged upon a pin 4| and held closed by aspring 42 in the usual manner. into the mouth of the terminal I0 is aset screw 43 which, as shown particularly in Fig. prevents Projectingthe dispatch of any carriers over the line A, except those having thenotch 38 in the heads thereof. It will be understood that in the presentsystem where there are two lines shown, the inlet terminal III of theline B will have the set screw 63 located to engage the notch 39,indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6.

Froni the above description it will be apparent that when the operatordesires to dispatch a carrier with goods or a message to an out-station,he will select a carrier which, as pointed out above, is adapted for theproper main line and which will be switched off that line onto thebranch line leading to the proper outlet terminal. The carrier isdispatched from the terminal It in the usual manner, and, if itsdestination be an intermediate station, the guide strips 21 associatedwith that station will enter the notches in the carrier heads and willdeflect such carrier from the line into the branch line 20 of thestation, while, if its destination be an end outlet terminal, it will bedeflected to the branch line by the strap 25. The provision of stationnotches on both heads of each carrier ensures that the carrier will befully deflected to the proper station and prevents any cocking ortripping of the carrier to block the main tube.

It will be noted that the removal of the projections at the othercorners of the carrier allow the carrier to travel by other stationswithout difficulty or interference in any way with the guide stripsassociated with the stations passed on the way so that the guide stripsmay be arranged in any desired order. Advantage may be taken of thisfact by using such carriers in a loop system as shown in Fig. 8 whereinthe inlet terminals 5I at each of the various outstations are mounted inthe outgoing transit tube below the outlet terminals 50 at suchstations. The inlet terminal 52 at the central station is mounted on theoutgoing transit tube and outlet terminal 53 at the central station ismounted on the return transit tube. Carriers destined to any out-stationmay be dispatched to the central station through the more distantoutstations since obviously, as pointed out above, the carriers willpass freely by the guide strips associated with such stations.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described andcertain arbitrarily selected relationships of the station notches in thecarrier heads and the guide strips are set forth, it will be understoodthat I am not limited thereto and that other embodiments can be made orother relationships selected without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim: Y

1. In a pneumatic dispatch system, carriers having rectangular heads andprovided in one edge with a line selecting notch and in another edgewith a station selecting notch.

2. In a pneumatic dispatch system comprising a transit tube rectangularin cross section and a plurality of stations to which carriers areselectively dispatched along the tube, carriers each having arectangular head provided at opposite edges with central lateralprojections and at one edge adjacent the end thereof with a projectionwhich defines with the central projection a notch, and means extendinginto the tube at one only of said stations adapted to enter such notchand to deflect the carrier to that station.

3. In a pneumatic dispatch system comprising a transit tube rectangularin cross section and a plurality of stations to which carriers areselectively dispatched along the tube, carriers each having arectangular head provided at opposite edges with central lateralprojections and at one edge adjacent the end thereof with a projectionwhich defines with the central projection a notch, the location of thenotch on each carrier determining the station to which it is dispatched,and means extending into the tube at each of said stations in a positionto enter the notches of only those carriers dispatched thereto and todeflect only such carriers.

4. In a pneumatic dispatch system of the loop type comprising a transittube rectangular in cross section, a central station, and a plurality ofoutstations located along said tube, to which carriers are dispatchedfrom the central station, each station comprising an inlet terminal andan outlet terminal, carriers each having a rectangular head provided atopposite edges with central lateral projections and at one edge adjacentthe end thereof with a projection which defines with the centralprojection a notch, the location of the notch on each carrierdetermining the station to which it is dispatched, and means extendinginto the tube from the outlet terminal of each station in a position toenter the notches of only those carriers dispatched thereto and todeflect them to the outlet terminal, each of said carriers beingreturnable along the tube to the central station through the inletterminal of the station to which it was dispatched.

5. In a pneumatic dispatch system of the loop type comprising a transittube rectangular in cross section, a central station, and a plurality ofoutstations locatedalong said tube, to which carriers are dispatchedfrom the central station, each station comprising an inlet terminal andan outlet terminal, carriers each having a rectangular head provided atopposite edges with central lateral projections and at one edge adjacentthe end thereof with a projection which defines with the centralprojection a notch, the location of the notch on each carrierdetermining the station to which it is dispatched, and stationary guidesextending into the tube, one from the outlet terminal of each station ina position to enter the notches of only those carriers dispatched tothat station, the carriers dispatched to all other stations passing theguides unaffected, and to deflect them to the outlet terminals, each ofsaid carriers being returnable along the tube to the central stationthrough the inlet terminal of the station to which it was dispatched.

6. In a pneumatic dispatch system comprising a transit tube rectangularin cross section, a central station and a plurality of outstationslocated along said tube to which carriers are dispatched from thecentral station, each station comprising an inlet terminal and an outletterminal, carriers each having a rectangular head provided at oppositeedges with'central lateral projections and at one edge adjacent the endthereof with a projection which defines with the central projection anotch, means extending intothe tube from the outlet terminal of eachoutstation each of which enters the notches of only those carriersdispatched thereto and deflects only such carriers, and means projectinginto the mouth of the inlet terminal at the central station, therectangular head of each carrier being provided with a sec- WILLIAM J.TAYLOR.

